Portable bath capsule

ABSTRACT

A capsule for administering bed baths and massage comprising an elongated sheath of flexible fluid tight material enclosing the patient except for the head and having means for admitting fluid to and drawing fluid from the capsule.

United States Patent Allen 1451 July 18, 1972 I PORTABLE BATH CAPSULE [56] References Cited 72 Inventor: Frances Mignon Allen, 3685-31 Vista 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS Campana N., San Diego, Calif. 92054 2,691,173 10/1954 Smith ....128/365 ux 3,028,857 4/1962 Parker ....l28/293 x [221 3,263,653 8/l966 Miller ..119/158 [21] Appl. No.: 72,691 iPrimary Examiner--L. W. Trapp Attorney-Knox and Knox 52 U.S. c1 ..128/24J, 128/66, 128/365, I [57] ABSTRACT 51 Int. Cl. ..A6lh 29/00 A 9 9 for administering bed baths and massage p [58] Field 6 Search 128/241 65 66 293, 365 ing an elongated sheath of flexible fluid tight material enclosing the patient except for the head and having means for admitting fluid to and drawing fluid from the capsule.

2 Clains, 3 Drawing figures PATENTED JUL 1 8 I972 INVENTOR. FRANC ES M IGNON ALLEN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In hospitals and nursing homes it is generally accepted practice to administer baths to bed patients by the so called sponge method; that is going over the patients body with a hand held sponge soaked in warm soapy water. This is time consuming and messy and involves frequent moving of the patient and subjects hands of the nurse to long contact with liquids. There is a need for an inexpensive apparatus that will free nurses and orderlies from this time consuming work.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The instant invention as claimed, meets the above mentioned need. It is essentially a portable capsule formed of flexible fluid tight material and contoured to completely-enclose a patient except for the head. A full length fluid tight closure is provided to admit the bed patient to the interior of the capsule. An elasticized neck band provides a fluid tight seal around the patient's neck. Fluid inlet means and outlet means are provided to control the amount of fluid in the capsule.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the capsule in use;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 2 2 of FIG. I; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3 3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 shows the improved capsule 1 as it would appear in use completely enveloping the patient except for the head. Access to the inside ofthe capsule is by means of a full length fluid tight closure fastener 2, of any well known design, which extends from the elasticized neck band 3 to a point adjacent to the foot of the capsule as clearly shown. A flexible inlet pipe 4 for the admission of fluid to the interior of the capsule is secured to the body of the capsule at 5 and a flexible discharge pipe 6 is connected at 7. Conventional hose clamps such as shown at 8 may be used to seal fluid in the interior of the capsule. An ordinary funnel or filling aide may be associated with I the inlet pipe 4 when it is desired to fill the capsule with fluid.

The body of the capsule consists of an outer relatively thick layer of fluid tight resilient material-and an inner relatively thin layer 10. These layers are connected together as shown at 11 in a waffle like pattern to form a plurality of closed air pockets 12 to maintain evenness of temperature in the interior of the capsule. The inner surface of inner layer is roughened slightly, or textured, as shown at 13.

In use the capsule is placed on a bed or other support ad- 5 jacent to the patient and the closure fastener 2 retracted. The

patient is then maneuvered into position and the closure fastener sealed. The elasticized neck band 3 is suificiently resilient to provide a fluid tight seal around the patients neck. The proper amount of the prescribed fluid solution is then poured in through the inlet pipe 4 and the inlet and outlet pipes sealed with hose clamps. The patient is now ready for any service that the nurse or attendant desires to perform such as bathing or massaging. The slightly roughened or textured surface of the inner layer provides a non-slip surface and greatly facilitates massaging action of the nurse's hands from the outside through the wall of the capsule. At the conclusion of the bathing and massaging steps the fluid may be drained from the capsule through the discharge pipe 6 and warn air admitted to dry the patient as well as the inside of the capsule.

I claim: 2

l. A capsule for administering bed baths, comprising; an elongated sheath of strong, flexible, fluid tight material dimensioned to accomodate and completely enclose the entire body of the patient excepting the head;

said sheath having a neck opening capable of being closed reasonably tightly about the neck of the patient;

said sheath having a elongated opening dimensioned to admit the body of the patient and said elongated opening having means for fluid tight closure thereof; and

- means for admitting fluid to and draining fluid from said capsule;

said sheath having a plurality of layers with air spaces defined therebetween for heat insulation.

2. A capsule according to claim 1 wherein said layers include an outer layer and a thinner inner layer tacked to the outer layer at spaced positions and sealed thereto to define a surface of waffle character with said air spaces between the layers for said heat insulation and also for cushioning the sensitive skin of the patient, the inner layer, by reason of being thinner, being ballooned more than the outer layer when the entrapped air in said spaces is heated by warm bathing fluid, thus accentuating said waffle character of the internal surface. 

1. A capsule for administering bed baths, comprising; an elongated sheath of strong, flexible, fluid tight material dimensioned to accomodate and completely enclose the entire body of the patient excepting the head; said sheath having a neck opening capable of being closed reasonably tightly about the neck of the patient; said sheath having a elongated opening dimensioned to admit the body of the patient and said elongated opening having means for fluid tight closure thereof; and means for admitting fluid to and draining fluid from said capsule; said sheath having a plurality of layers with air spaces defined therebetween for heat insulation.
 2. A capsule according to claim 1 wherein said layers include an outer layer and a thinner inner layer tacked to the outer layer at spaced positions and sealed thereto to define a surface of waffle character with said air spaces between the layers for said heat insulation and also for cushioning the sensitive skin of the patient, the inner layer, by reason of being thinner, being ballooned more than the outer layer when the entrapped air in said spaces is heated by warm bathing fluid, thus accentuating said waffle character of the internal surface. 